EU Will Not Lift Russia Sanctions for Peace, According to Reuters
The US has proposed rolling back restrictions in an effort to broker a deal between Moscow and Kiev. The EU has decisively rejected any notion of easing Ukraine-related sanctions against Russia prior to the conclusion of peace negotiations,...
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The US has proposed rolling back restrictions in an effort to broker a deal between Moscow and Kiev.
The EU has decisively rejected any notion of easing Ukraine-related sanctions against Russia prior to the conclusion of peace negotiations, as reported by Reuters on Wednesday, citing sources.
Last week, the US presented proposals to EU officials aimed at facilitating a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine. This initiative reportedly included possible terms for conflict resolution, such as the easing of sanctions on Moscow contingent upon a lasting ceasefire.
However, Brussels “staunchly opposes” Russia’s request to lift EU sanctions before peace talks are finalized, according to European diplomats cited by Reuters. Another contentious issue is the US suggestion to recognize Russian sovereignty over Crimea, which the publication labeled a “non-starter” for both the EU and Kiev.
The EU's position is perceived as reducing the likelihood of significant progress in peace negotiations, leading senior US officials to forego a high-level meeting in London on Wednesday that was intended to address the Ukraine conflict.
Originally, the meeting was expected to include top diplomats from the UK, US, France, Germany, and Ukraine but ultimately was downgraded to include lower-level representatives.
Both special envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio chose not to attend the event. Instead, the US delegation is being led by General Keith Kellogg, another envoy of US President Donald Trump focusing on Ukraine.
Last month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU would not lift its sanctions against Russia as long as the conflict in Ukraine persists. In March, the EU also dismissed a request from Russia to lift sanctions on the Russian Agricultural Bank as part of the Black Sea ceasefire discussions between Moscow and Washington. During talks in Saudi Arabia, Russia and the US agreed to collaborate on revitalizing the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which, according to the Kremlin, would entail the removal of Western restrictions on the agricultural bank and other financial institutions.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov remarked that the EU's refusal to lift sanctions on Russia illustrates the bloc’s unwillingness to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. “If European countries don’t want to go down this path, it means they don’t want to go down the path of peace in unison with the efforts shown in Moscow and Washington,” he stated at the time.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
The EU has decisively rejected any notion of easing Ukraine-related sanctions against Russia prior to the conclusion of peace negotiations, as reported by Reuters on Wednesday, citing sources.
Last week, the US presented proposals to EU officials aimed at facilitating a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine. This initiative reportedly included possible terms for conflict resolution, such as the easing of sanctions on Moscow contingent upon a lasting ceasefire.
However, Brussels “staunchly opposes” Russia’s request to lift EU sanctions before peace talks are finalized, according to European diplomats cited by Reuters. Another contentious issue is the US suggestion to recognize Russian sovereignty over Crimea, which the publication labeled a “non-starter” for both the EU and Kiev.
The EU's position is perceived as reducing the likelihood of significant progress in peace negotiations, leading senior US officials to forego a high-level meeting in London on Wednesday that was intended to address the Ukraine conflict.
Originally, the meeting was expected to include top diplomats from the UK, US, France, Germany, and Ukraine but ultimately was downgraded to include lower-level representatives.
Both special envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio chose not to attend the event. Instead, the US delegation is being led by General Keith Kellogg, another envoy of US President Donald Trump focusing on Ukraine.
Last month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU would not lift its sanctions against Russia as long as the conflict in Ukraine persists. In March, the EU also dismissed a request from Russia to lift sanctions on the Russian Agricultural Bank as part of the Black Sea ceasefire discussions between Moscow and Washington. During talks in Saudi Arabia, Russia and the US agreed to collaborate on revitalizing the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which, according to the Kremlin, would entail the removal of Western restrictions on the agricultural bank and other financial institutions.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov remarked that the EU's refusal to lift sanctions on Russia illustrates the bloc’s unwillingness to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. “If European countries don’t want to go down this path, it means they don’t want to go down the path of peace in unison with the efforts shown in Moscow and Washington,” he stated at the time.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
